Velocipede propelling mechanism



M. WAGNER. V VELOCIPEDE PROPELLING MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 25,1921- PatentedJune 20,1922.

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MANGOLD WAGNER, OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON,

VELOCIPEDE PROPELLING MECHANISM.

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To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MANsoLn WAGNER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Seattle, in the county of King and State of Washington, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Velocipede PropellingMechanism, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in propelling mechanism forvelocipedes, toys and the like, and the object of myinvention is toprovide a velocipede propelling mechanism which is adapted to beactuated by the of the rider to thus propel the velocipede in a forwardor backward direction.

Another object is to provide a velocipede propelling mechanism embodyingnovel oscillating means having eccentric driving means mounted forrotation thereonwhereby the rocking of the velocipede by the rider willactuate the said oscillating means and said driving means to thus propelthe velocipede in a forward or backward direction. A further object isto provide a velocipede propelling mechanism embodying novel resilientmeans adapted to control the action of the oscillatingmeans and thedriving means of said mechanism to thereby main tain the velocipede on asubstantially straight course during the forward or back ward movementthereof and which is further adapted to regulate the laterally directedforces exertedby the rider on thevelocipede. v

A still further object is to provide a velocipede propelling mechanismembodying .novel ad usting means for the resilient control means of saidpropellinginechanism, to thus adapt the velocipede for any weight ofrider.

A still "further object is to provide a propelling mechanism for avelocipede embodying simplicity, durability and economy in construction,thatis positive and efficient in operation and that will not readily getout of order.

With the above andother objects in view which will appear as thedescription proinvention resides in the novel concombination, adaptationand arstruction 7 hereinafter described rangement of parts and claimed.

1 accomplish these objects by devices illuslateral rocking or swayingmovements wardly extending Specification of Letterslatent. Patented J 291922 Application filed March 25, 1921. Serial N6. 455,461

trated in the accompanying drawings Figure 1- 'is atop plan view of; avelocier ative position 1n full lines and in its right hand operativeposition in dot and dash lines.

Flg. 2 1s a view 1n locipede in an inoperatlve positlon partsbeingbroken away to more. clearly illustrate;

the featuresof my propelling mechanism.

the velocipede in an inoperative position, parts being broken away toillustrate the method of mounting eccentric wheels of the,

propelling mechanism on their associated shaft, and

sideelevation of the ve- Fig. 3 1s a view in rear end elevation of.

Fig. i is a similar vie'w ofthe velocipede illustrating the same withits associated propelling mechanism in its right hand operativeposition, which position corresponds to that shown in dot and dash linesin Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings throughout whichlike reference numeralsdesignate like parts, the numeral 10 designates the running board orplatform ofthe velocipede, which running board is adapted tobenormallydisposed in an angular plane with respect to the ground, thesaid board being normally inclined upwardly inv a forward direction, asshown moreclearly in Fig. 2 of the drawings. 1

The running board 10 may be fabricated from any. suitable wood or otherdesired material substantially in the shape or form shown in Figs. 1 and2 although I reserve the rightto fabricate said board in any desiredshape or form'necessary or'found exwhich is adapted to be fixedlysecured in an operative position aga nst circumferential movement in theboard 10 as by bolts 12.

Medially and vertically disposed in the running board 10 .in spacedrelation thereto is a support bar or frame member 15 c0mprising ahorizontally disposed and rear- ,portion 16; a vertically disposed andupwardly extending portion 17 a horizontally and forwardly extendingportion 16, which portion is adapted to normally abut the lower face ofthe sleeve member 11, as shown more clearly in Fig. 2,-

while the forward end or split portions 22 of said support bar 15 areadapted to be fixedly secured to the upper face of the running board 10as by screws 23.

Fixedly secured in an operative position on the inclined and forwardlyextending portion 20 of the suport bar 15 is a seat 24, which seat 24 isadapted to be fixedly secured in said operative position by screws 25.

Journalled for oscillation in the sleeve 11 and the horizontally andforwardly extending portion 18 of the'support bar 15 is an oscillatorymember 26, which membermay be formed of wood or other material andfabricated substantially in the shape of a cross, as shown more clearlyinFig. 3. Said member 26 comprising a normally transversely andhorizontally disposed portion 27 and normally vertically disposedupwardly and downwardly extending bosses 28, which bosses 28 are formedupon the portion 27 substantially midway of the length thereof.

Fixedly secured as by dowel pins 29 to the ends of the bosses 28 aredisk plates 30, which plates are provided on their outer faces with stubshafts or journals 31 which stub shafts are respectively journalled inthe sleeve ll and the portion 18 of the bar 15', as shown in Fig. 2 ofthe drawings.

concentrically disposed and rotatively mounted in the portion 27 of theoscillatory member 26 is a shaft 32, which shaft is adapted to besupported by bearings or bushings 33 operatively disposed in the ends ofsaid portion 27, as shown in Fig. 3. If desired the bearings 33 may beof any well known anti-friction type to thereby minimize the frictionbetween said bearings and the shaft 32 as is well known.

Eccentrically disposed upon the shaft 32 adjacent the outer ends thereofand fixedly secured thereto as by keys 34 are driving wheels 35 whichwheels may be formed of wood or other suitable and desired material.

In the present instance I have illustrated the wheels 35 as being formedof wood in which case I provide metallic flanged hub members 36, whichhub members are adapted to be eccentrically disposed in the wheels 35and are further adapted to concentrically and fixedly receive the outerends of the shaft 32 and the keys 34, as shown in Fig. 3 the said hubmembers 36 are adapted to be fixedly secured in their eccentric positionon the inner faces of said wheels 35 as by screws 37, as moreclearlyshown in the Fig. 4.

To positively retain the wheels 35' on their To prevent undue andexcessive wear of the wheels 35 on the outer ends of the portion 27 ofthe oscillatory'member 26 I'pro- 1 vide spacing washers 40, whichwashers are adapted to'be interposed between said wheels 35 and the endsof said portion 27. I

To regulate and control the oscillating movement of the oscillatorymember 26 and to maintain the velocipede on a normal and substantialcourse during the forward and backward movement thereof; I provideresilient control means comprising a flat spring 41, which spring isadapted to be disposed in a normally vertical plane and to be disposedin transverse relation to the velocipede. V

The spring 41 is adapted to be fixedly secured midway of the lengththereof as by a U bolt 42 to the inner face of the ver tically disposedand upwardly extending portion 17 of the support bar 15, at a point onsaid portion 17 adjacent the upper end thereof, to thereby positivelymaintain and retain the longitudinal medial line of said spring 41 inthe same normally horizontal axial plane of the portion 27 of theoscillatory member 26, as will be readily apparent by referring to Fig.3.

As hereinbefore mentioned the flat spring 41is adapted to be disposedtransversely of the velocipede, said spring extending outwardly from andbeing symmetrically disposed on each side of the portion 17 of the bar15, the outer end portions of said spring being adapted to contact withor abut the rear side of the portion 27 of the oscillatory member 26 atpoints adjacent the outer ends of said portion 27 substantially as shownin Fig. 1, to thus retain said member 26 in perpendicular relation tothe running board 10 when the velocipede is stationary.

To regulate and adjust the tension or resiliency of the flat spring 41,to thus provide a velocipede adapted to accommodate any weight of arider, I have provided adjusting means comprising" a plate 43 andadjusting screws 44.

The plate 43 is adapted to be fixedly secured midway of the lengththereof by the U bolt 42 to the outer face of the vertically disposedand upwardly extending portion 17 ofthe support bar 10 as shown moreclearly in several views of the drawings.

:The adjusting screws 44 are adapted to be threadably engaged in theplate 43 adjacent the ends thereof, the inner ends of said screws 4 1being adapted to contact with and'abut the outer or rear surface of theflat spring 11, as shown in Fig. 1, to thus increase or decrease thetension of said spring as desiredand found expedient.

While I have shownand described a resilient control meanscomprising theflat spring 11 with its associated tension adjusting means, I desire tohave it understood-that I do not wish to confine myself to the use ofthis particular form of tension control means, as I havefound inpracticeand after exhaustive experimentation that other forms of resilientcontrol, means may be readily utilized and substituted for said spring11. To steer the velocipede and maintain the latter in the desireddirection while the same is;;in motion l gear or mechanism of the selfcentering type which mechanism comprises a steering wheel 50, asteering. rod or handle 51, a flanged bushing 52, an annular .disk 53,bolts 5 1 a centering pin 55, a spring56, and a set collar57. I 1

The steering wheel 50 is adapted to be rotatively mounted in the lowerfurcated end of the steering rod 51 which lower end of said rod isadapted to be rotatively mounted in the flanged bushing 52 adjacent saidfurcated end.

The bushing 52 is adapted to be medially and angularly disposed in therunning board 10 at a point contiguous to the forward end thereof and tobe retained therein against circumferential and axial movement throughthe medium of the annular disk 53 and the bolts 54.

The centering pin 55 is adapted to be fixedly secured in the rod 51 at apoint contiguous to the furcated lower portion thereof, said pin 55being disposed diametrically and perpendicularly with respect to theaxis of said rod and is further adapted to normally seat in the bottomof V shaped diametrically disposed notch 58 formed in the lower face ofthe flanged bushing 52.

The spring 56 is adaptedto be mounted on the rod 51 and to be interposedbetween the bushing 52 and set collar 57 which collar 57 is adapted tobe secured in any desired or suitable position on the rod 51 in a wellknown manner.

It will be apparent that the spring 56 will normally retain and maintainthe centering pin 55 in the bottom of its associated notch 58 when thevelocipede is stationary, and it will also be apparent that the spring56 in conjunction with the angular walls of the V shaped notch 58 willexpedite the return of the pin and grasps the steering have provided asteering speed and to maintain by referring to Fig. 2

55 to a central position after each operation of the steeringmechanism.

In the operation and assumes a sitting position astride the seat 2 1velocipcde, or if he so elects hemay stand astride said seat in orderutilize, the maximum power exerted by the rider.

Assuming the propelling mechanism to be in the horizontal dead centerposition,- as illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 with the rider. inposition on the velocipede.; To ymove or travel in a forward directionthe rider ap plies his weight and exerts-his forcerina actuation .ofvelocipede propelling mechanism the rider;

handle 51 of' said to obtain and v from the forces,

lateral direction to the right. to thus. rock the velocipede in thatdirection' and to oscillate the member 26 to the position shown -;in-

dot and dash lines in Fig. 1, and, injfull lines in Fig. to therebycarry the eccentricdriving'wheels 35 over their horiz'ontaldead,

center substantially saidffigures. .11.. 1

The rider then; applieshis: weight and exerts his force in a lateraldirection tothe left to thus rock the velocipede in that direc% tion,

to the position shown in to thus oscillate the-member 26; to a reverseposition from that shown;in dot and dash lines in Fig. 1 and in fulllines in Fig. l, to thereby cause the initial forward movement of thevelocipede.

The rider then continues to apply his weight and exert his forcealternately to the right and left to thus attain the desired thecontinuous oscillation of the member 26 and the'continuous rotation ofthe driving wheels 35, thereby maintaining the continuous forward orrearward movement of the velocipede as will be readily apparent. It willalso be obvious that the speed attained and maintained will be directlyproportional to the energy exerted by the rider of the velocipede.

The wheels 35 being fixedly secured on the shaft 32 are simultaneouslyrotated when the member 26 is oscillated to thus propel the velocipede apredetermined distance in either a forward or rearward direction asdesired for each oscillation of said member, said predetermined distancewhich the said velocipede will travel in either a forward or rearwarddirection being governed by the amount of eccentricity of the wheels 35in conjunction with the amount of oscillatory movement of said member26, which amount of oscillatory movement of said member being governedby the said amount of cocentricity of the wheels 35 and the controllingaction of and the amount of tension on the spring 41 as will be readilyunderstood.

The oscillations of the. member 26 are at all times during saidoscillations causing each end of said spring to be alternately incompression thereby storing up power within the end of the spring thatis in compression, which power is utilized to convert the oscillatorymovement of the member 26 into a forward or rearward impelling force andto transmit said iinpelling force to the velocipede. r

The'spring 41 also functions to maintain the velocipede in asubstantially straight course as well as to carry the eccentric drivingwheels over their horizontal and vertical dead centers. 7

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings; the advantages of the construction and of the method ofoperation of my velocipede will be'readily apparent to those skilled inthe art to which my invention pertains to thus enable those skilled toconstruct and operate the same, but, while I have shown and describedthe construction and operation of a velocipede propelling mechanismembodying the features and principles of my invention, which I nowconsider to be the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have itunderstood that the velocipede propelling mechanism shown is merelyillustrative and that such changes may be made when desired as arewithin the scope of the invention and embodied in the accompanyingclaims;

What I claim is: l. A velocipede propelling mechanism comprisingoscillating means; eccentric driving means mounted for rotation on saidoscillating means; resilient control means for said oscillating means;and adjusting means for said resilient control means.

2. A velocipede propelling mechanism comprising an oscillatory member; aplurality of eccentric driving wheels mounted for synchronous rotationon said oscillating member; resilient control means for said 0scillatingmeans; and adjusting means for said resilient control means.

3. A velocipede propelling mechanism comprising an oscillatory member; ashaft rotatively mounted in said oscillatory member; a plurality ofeccentric driving wheels secured to said shaft; resilient control meansfor said oscillatory member; and adjusting means for said resilientcontrol means.

45. A propelling mechanism for a toy vehicle comprising oscillatingmeans; at shaft mounted upon said oscillating means; wheelseccentrically and rotatably mounted upon said shaft; and resilientcontrol means for said oscillating means. i

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 8th day of March,A. D. 1921 MANGOLD WAGNER.

